


We Were Friends

by SeoulWings13



Category: unOrdinary (Webcomic)
Genre: Arlo - Freeform, Crying, Fluff and Angst, God-tier(s) (unOrdinary), Hugs, John - Freeform, uruchan
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-10
Updated: 2020-12-10
Packaged: 2021-03-10 06:14:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,472
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27989805
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SeoulWings13/pseuds/SeoulWings13
Summary: John's rampage has ended, but at what cost?
Comments: 5
Kudos: 37





	We Were Friends

**Author's Note:**

> I am so done. With everything. :)
> 
> EDIT: Story is weak. Incredibly so. But all the typos should be fixed now.

John slammed his fist into the wall. Arlo. He ruined everything. Whenever prince perfect was there, it was a guaranteed beatdown. He was the Cripple, the Joker, the King. But why wasn't John happy? He got no pleasure from any of this violence, the sheer destruction and killing, but he was at the top. He had destroyed the ghost from his past. 

But Arlo still had a friking life. While he was back. In a box. There were no chains yet, instead, a very thick metal cage. And John, with no ability to copy, was powerless. Stupid. Stupid. STUPID. Stupid Arlo. Stupid Isen. Stupid Seraphina. If only Arlo had let him alone, and not forced him to attack, he would still be happy. Sera might still have her ability.

The worst thing? His old correction instructor, Keon, was back. And now that John posed as a threat, Keon was given several assistants and an ability amplifier. EMBER, whoever they were, had created test serums. John had hoped to steal one and give it to Claire, Sera? The names and faces blended together after hours of solitude. He thought he saw a face, but it was just a hallucination. There was no more hope.

The door creaked open, light rushing in, illuminating the sleeping form of John. It was hard to believe he was only sixteen, his mouth and ability aged him. Keon signaled with his fingers, two men moving into the box, clamping chains onto John's wrists and ankles. These chains were attached to the four corners of the back wall, so John hung limply, spread-eagled. 

Keon nodded, standing further back. He wasn't in the mood to be head-butted, again. Lifting a hand, he slapped John across the face, effectively waking him up. John's eyes snapped open as he tried to move, only to find himself immobilized. 

Keon tutted. "What have you done this time? Let me count. Terrorized another school, beat up and hospitalized forty students, and put Arlo in a coma. Seraphina is in physical therapy as you broke her spine." 

He watched in satisfaction as John's eyes widened. He was lying, of course, Seraphina had healed thanks to the doctors. Arlo was standing outside, and unknown to Keon, listening. 

"Now, you remember this? It's time to remember." 

His eyes flashed blue as he dug deep into John's mind, deeper than he had before. He flashed past the New Bostin memories, ad dug, really probed. The mind was like a maze, and certain memories to panful for words were hidden behind doors. John still hadn't been able to put up mental defenses, and his door flimsy. Keon pushed it open.

-

"C'mon Arlo!" A small elementary-aged boy was running in a backyard. He looked behind him to see a blond boy of similar age and size following.

"John, slow down! LOOK OUT!"

Arlo's warning came too late as John tripped and fell, landing at the feet of several well known high tiers. John was known as a cripple at the time, and the bullies knew it. One manifested huge octopus-like tentacles and dangled the helpless boy in the air. 

"Please!" John let out a desperate cry, only to be met with a punch to his gut. He choked, all the air forced out of his lungs. The third, the leader, leveled his hand at him. 

"Let's see what little secrets you've been hiding." 

A young Keon pulled at John's mind, pulling forth every beating and instance of bullying. The young child let out a guttural cry of pain. Arlo, who had been running, called his barrier, effectively encasing John in a protective golden bubble. 

"Leave him be." he was surprised at how steady his voice was, though he was nervously looking at John, who had rapidly forming bruises on his neck and arms, and blood streaming from his mouth.

"Or what?" 

"Or I'll call my aunt."

The bullies weighed their options. They couldn't directly touch Arlo, his family was too powerful for that, but John was still fair game. Unleashing their abilities, Arlo's barrier, though strong, shattered. He choked as it broke, feeling something snap inside of his own body, and took off running.

He failed to see John's eyes fixed on his back as he ran.

John didn't remember anything from that day but pain and hate. Arlo said he'd protect him but left John to hours of more beating and abuse. The boy wasn't found until the next day, surrounded in a puddle of his own blood. 

All he could think about was how Arlo ran. 

-

Keon pulled out. John's mind was a confusing mess of memories. He looked at the boy, fully conscious with tears streaming down his face. He was panting heavily, but let loose a scream. The scream had so much anguish and hurt in it, Keon smirked. It was working. 

"So you knew Arlo from before?" the elder spoke conversationally. "And me as well, apparently. Stuck up little brat you were. Always going on about trying to find your ability, and look where that got you. You terrorized so many students. New Bostin and now, here. I rounded up a guest for you, not quite, but you know what I mean."

Outside, Arlo pressed his ear to the door. A few minutes passed, but in the time, he heard John's breathing speed up, and another scream rip from his throat. This time, the scream had words associated with it. Yet, words was loose. It was one phrase repeated over and over like a religious chant. 

"I'm not a monster. I'm not a monster. I'm not a monster!" John's panicked words echoed around the small chamber. 

"But you are. Do you need a second look? Or a third or a fourth? I have you for six months, John. And in those six months, I'm going to break you. Slowly, but carefully. You'll be too scared of your own ability, and my mere presence will make you behave. Stick to the role you were assigned. That is all for today, I'll see you in a few days." 

Arlo moved quickly, back to his hospital bed. He flipped through his phone, reading an article about Rei. It was old, but not anything to arouse suspicion. Not after what he heard. Something pulled at his mind. An older memory resurfaced.

-

"Arlo, you mustn't hang around someone lower than 4.0, anyone lower isn't worth your time." His mom was checking his grades at the table. 

"But John?"

"John got you hurt. He got your barrier broken. He doesn't matter. At all." 

Young Arlo had nodded along. He had excelled in school and worked his barrier up to be nearly impenetrable. There was no need for anyone under him, he was strong, and strength was all that mattered. 

Cripples became jokes, low-tiers punching bags. He felt great. Every surge of power, every thrall of adrenaline made him feel alive. He started participating in turf wars, winning slowly, but surely. 

When the news of a god-tier attack at New Bostin surfaced, Arlo took an interest. He saw John on the cover, and glossed over the part about "correction camp." John had an ability. He wouldn't need Arlo, and he could stop worrying about the so-called cripple. 

After completely letting the thought of John go, he pushed him from his mind. Until John showed up on his turf. The helmet-haired god-tier posing as a cripple annoyed Arlo. He knew John was capable of so much more, but since John didn't recognize him, he pretended not to recognize John. 

Until he decided to push John's limits. He'd been defeated, covered in blood, and humiliated. Then his school turned to shambles. Arlo called the authorities, and John was shut down. Again. That was the "big story" everyone was talking about. 

Arlo was king, Remi queen, Blyke ace, and Isen jack. Calm and perfect.

-

Keon left a bruised and bloody John hanging in the box. John was in pain, crying, and nearly broken already. There was so much he had relived, a forgotten memory at the surface. Arlo had run. He had run without looking back. He had run without an ounce of sympathy. 

The six months flew by for Arlo, who was researching PTSD and other mental disorders he always suspected John had. Arlo realized, John had no stability in his life, as Claire had betrayed him, and Sera had copied her. He was an emotional mess. Just when John had a routine, Arlo came and forced him out of it. He mentally berated himself for that. 

John, he realized, was scared. Never quite growing out of his desperation to prove himself and be something. John wasn't able to think properly or be himself. It was heartbreaking. Arlo dialed a call for Seraphina, he decided they would pick John up together. 

Maybe fix what Keon was doing. He listened in, more often than not. It always ended with Keon hitting John, and body wracking sobbing. It wasn't therapy, it was a prison. And torture. And Arlo had caused it. Again. Turning John in was the right thing to do then, but now, it felt wrong. Now Wellston was re-established, but John was destroyed.

The past month, he hadn't spoken a word. Just hung there. 

-

While the six months flew by for Arlo, they dragged for John. Keon forced him to relive memory after memory, taking a special interest in the ones Arlo was in. But time is still time, and it still passed. At the halfway mark, John stopped fighting. 

He started to believe everything Keon was telling him. He was a monster. Sera/Claire made him realize that. He was a beast who deserved nothing, his ability to destructive for his own good. He grew afraid of everything he was and had been. 

Keon pushed past where he had stopped before and pressed on harder. He told John of false memories, forcing John to think harder, and be confused of his ability. Soon, John couldn't distinguish fact from fantasy. Eventually, in the fourth month, John stopped speaking. 

In the fifth, he stopped crying. 

In the sixth, he was released. 

-

Arlo and Seraphina picked him up, and he looked at them, with dull, unfocused eyes. Sera placed her hand on his shoulder and he shied away from her touch. Arlo shook his head sadly but was relieved when John allowed himself to be helped to his house. His body was weakened because his mind was shattered. 

Sera moved in with him, and he seemed noticeably surprised she wasn't in a wheelchair. He cared little for his appearance, but ran and worked out. It was a good stress reliever. Sera would often tell him about school, and he'd listen with wide eyes and a puppy dog look. 

Another six months passed, and John still hadn't spoken a word. Arlo was worried but limited his visits. John always looked uncomfortable when he was around. 

By coincidence, he and John were left together alone. Arlo suggested a run, and the two ran near a park. John kept his eyes down. Keon had told him he wasn't worthy of a high-tier's presence. Arlo tried to break the silence, but it was like talking to a wall. However, the tension between them eased, and Arlo felt John trust him a bit more, each day.

Slowly, John started being more expressive, and after a year of being mute, John spoke. Seraphina wasn't at the house, she was shopping with Elaine. It was John and Arlo alone. Arlo had worked so hard building up a trusting relationship when John spoke he nearly fell out of his chair. 

"We were friends." John's hoarse voice said, softly. "But you ran away and never came back."

Arlo was stunned. What do you say to that? Several options fluttered through his head, but he decided on being honest. Why be guarded when you were trying to gain trust? 

"I ran." He admitted. "But I'm sorry. There were complications, and I thought you could handle yourself but when I saw you in the news, I thought you were ok. They sent you to a correction camp with Keon." he paused as John flinched at the mention of Keon's name, "I missed you. Mom said not to hang out with you, but you appeared at Wellston and I got curious. So I pushed you until you snapped and nearly destroyed the school-" He paused as John flinched yet again, "And I messed up. Big time." He drew a breath unsure of how to phrase his next question.

"John?"

John nodded his head for Arlo to go on.

"What did he tell you?"

"He told me I was a monster. And I had hurt people. I didn't deserve to be on this Earth, much less in the company of high tiers. I'm pathetic and dangerous. A coward. He did..." John trailed off, his eyes darting around as if he'd get in trouble. His voice was raspy but low and soft, probably from a year of neglect.

Arlo just nodded. He knew, all this from listening, he knew it all from looking at Keon's file, and he had told Sera. But getting John to talk about it, was a step toward healing. 

They sat in silence until Sera came home. She smiled at the boys, and John said simply, "Hi Sera. I missed you."

She nodded. "I missed you too."

-

Their routine went on for a while when John was talking comfortably again. He had shared everything with Arlo, and Sera heard most of it. They avoided taboo topics, until one day they didn't. 

"John, would you like to test out your ability? Use it so you won't be controlled by it?" Arlo brought it up one dinner time.

He could feel the confusion and resentment rippling off John, but kept going.

"I can help you. You have mastered it, but being upset won't help. We can help you. And I won't run. Not this time."

Not using an ability is like walking when you know you can run. Even if you were led to believe it was awful and destructive and dangerous. John still liked the rush of adrenaline but causing pain wasn't anything he wanted to do anymore. However, Arlo promised to help, Sera promised to help, and they knew everything. He could trust them. 

So John said okay. 

-

"We were friends." he said one day after practice. He had done well and made progress, anger no longer ruling his mind. Certain things still set him off, Keon's name, for one. But he was healing. It was slow but possible. John was smiling more. Arlo's hunches about PTSD, Paranoia, and other issues were correct and diagnosed. 

John was getting better, and now he had a reliable family. 

"We are friends. And this time, I'm staying." Arlo corrected.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! This was a labor of love and everything was so fun! 
> 
> Stay safe, wear your mask, etc


End file.
